im using all cedar for my set, well accept the bow. this is my first day attempting the fire drill mmethod, and i've all eady got the smoke down, my problem is my power is brown, and only a little comes out
Cedar is far from ideal. I have a read heart cedar set that does work, but MAN at the calories that thing takes just to smoke!
Time to beef up your botany skill.. learn the weeds that grow in sandy areas and have long straight stalks: wild lettuce, horseweed, mullein, etc.
And the trees like willow.
If you get that cedar kit to fire up, you'll be surprised at how fast you can get good materials to go.
Hey Comforting
Thanks for sharing that.... I have always wanted to make fire the Primitive way without resorting to rubbing two Boy Scouts together LOL.
I am going to do this and I'll let you know how I get on. Obviously the wood needs to be as bone dry as possible.
Would very dry Pine work for the spindle and base?? I ask because I am surrounded by pine but would have to find a harder wood to hold the top of the spindle. What are your thoughts??
I'm obviously not YCC, but I would avoid any wood like pine that is high in resins - just makes it more difficult and a lot of "glazing" will take place.
Maybe I need a trip to Home Depot then??? Not really sure where I could buy the right kind of wood locally
Either that or I will have to scour the Woods but it is pretty much all Pine and Oak here
If you're just practicing technique, there's nothing wrong with buying a piece or two. Cedar works pretty well.
If you do go to the Depot look for white pine or Lodge pole. It seems the least sappy.
Also, don't necessarily limit yourself to trees.. many herbaceous plants make excellent spindles.
I have not had great success with cedar, but it will work.
im no good at identifying wood. Can someone tell me what type of wood to use for the board and the spindle? I live in Utah
Don't know what is available to you. Best to experiment - just make sure it's real dry.
Nicely done.
Thanks for taking the time to document it.
Excellent pictures and instructions. thanks.
For anyone in the Virginia/South East Area, especially coastal Virginia who is having difficulty. I have had great success with Sycamore as the spindle and Tulip Poplar as the Hearthboard. I know many people suggest that the spindle and hearthboard should be of the same material, but I have never had success with that. Just take your time and pace yourself in the beginning. Create a good rhythm, get your heat built up, then when you see white smoke, go to town. I know the humidity in this area can play a big factor.
Brandon Burdick
Wilderness Survival Instructor
On The Brink Survival LLC
onthebrinksurvival.com
How come I can't see the pics?
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
They display. Try it again. If you are still having trouble what browser are you using?
I just edited the posts. You should be able to see them now.
What the?! That is one crazy bug. I just checked for that and they were showing. Weird.
You probably checked the pages I already edited. I had to go through 7 pages and am slow in the morning and afternoon and evening.
Hmmm..I wish you guys could speak my language and tell me what trees (in my language) are best for me to get the wood from cos, your trees and my trees are totally different.....I can get fire using the bow drill or the bamboo saww...but it is quite painstaking and requires a lot of time...and I am not good with trees..the only trees that I can identify are rattan, bamboo, banana, coconut, acrea nut, oil palm, rubber trees, aloe vera, tapioca, papaya trees and durian trees..hehehe..
Anyway, I still practice.
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
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